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May 31, 1932- H. G. SMITHv- ET AL 1,860,486

FINGERPRINT APPARATUS Filed Oct. 2, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet l l l TRI) o 0 \O O/ 0 O O O O Jer/Zewz @fnl-zh Tizea'a/fe Zzamz'e May 31, 1932- H. G, SMITH ET AL 1,860,485

FINGERPRNT APPARATUSk Filed Oct'. 2, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 abtowm o.

May 31, 1932. H. G. SMITH ET AL FINGERPRINT APPARATUS Filed Oct. 2, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 JelfeffZ z /fl May 31, 1932;

H. G. SMITH ET AL i FINGERPRINT APPARATUS Filed OCT.. 2, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 mk. MK,

Patented May 31, 1932.'

@usino .STA-TES: PATENT ,orifice HERBERT G. SMITH, or ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ANI) THRoDoRn BURRICK; or DRTRoiT,

' MICHIGAN FINGERPRINT APPARATUS Application led October 1931. l'Serial No.'566,552.

This invention relates to apparatus for use in prisons, police departments, finger print bureaus and wherever it is desired to make finger prints for identiiication purposes.

One of the objects is to provide a device of this character which can be made either in portable or non-portable forni and provide a simple and efcient means for making prints neatly, clearly, and quickly, thereby effecting a considerable saving of time which can be devoted to classification and other incidental work.

Another object is to provide a compact structure containing at convenient points all j accessories necessary for the Work.

A still further Objectis to enable the operator to readily and properly apply ink to stiiil ngers, thereby covering a difiiculty y which has always confronted experts.

Another object is to provide eicient means for holding record cards while impressions are being made.Y Y

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedesc-ription proceeds, the invention resides in the combi nation and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that lchanges in the precise embodiment. of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scopefof what is claimed without de# parting from the spirit of the invention.v

In the accompanying drawings the preferred forms of the invention have been shown.

In said drawings :V

Figure 1 isa plan view of a. portable apparatus the cover being removed.

Figure 2 is a front elevation, the raised cover being broken away. y

Figure 3 is ay section on line 3-3, Figure 1, the cover being closed. j

Figure 4 is a section on linee-4i, Fig- .ure 3. f

Fioure 5 is a horizontalk section throughone side portion taken on the line 5-5, Figure 3,'the camera being shown inplan.

Figure 6 is a horizontal section taken on line 6-6, Figure 3, through the side portion opposite to Figure 5, the camera being shown in plan.

Figure 7' is a front elevation 'of a modified form which is not portable.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, 1 designates' a casing having a boxlike lid 2 hinged thereto as at 3 andalso provided with a front'closure in the form of ahinged panel 4. Fasteners 5 on the lid and panel can be used for holding them closed.

vA compartment 6 is provided inthe back" portion of the casing for holding desired accessories. For example a finger print camera 7 can be removablypositioned therein. Other accessories can be secured in any manner desired within cover 2. As shown an ink roller 8 can be held by a clip 9 and a'y rack 10 can be provided for holding film packs or plates, a magnifying glass, a sponge, brushes, etc. Under some conditions certain of these supplies could be located in the box.

` This is a minor feature of the invention and a detailed description and illustration thereof is not deemed essential. l

The printing apparatus per se includes a housing 11 which is Vslidable into and out of casing 1 through the open front thereof.l

This housing can be provided with` side cleats 12 slidable in guide grooves 13 provided therefor. The front 14 of the housing is closed except for an opening to receive a drawer 15 containing aspring 16 adapted to grip the back end of a pack of cards used for receivingprints. A raised portion 17 is located on the bottom of the drawer near the front ends thereof for holding the front ends of the cards elevated wherethey canV easily be engaged and lifted.

`The back end of the housing 11 is closedl these containers could be placed in other positions.

The top 20 of the housing 11 projects forwardly and forms a rounded gripping edge 25. A strip 26 can Vbe secured to the bottom of the proJecting portion and constitutes a pull by means of which the entire housing 11 can be drawn from the casing 1 and placed on a table or the like for use.

Short longitudinal grooves 27 are formed in the inner faces of the sides of the housing 11 and receive and guide the ends of a slidable transverse bar 28. Rods 29 extend forwardly from this bar and are slidable 1n the front 14. Their front ends are upturned and connected by a transversely bowed clamping strip 30 which is adapted to move toward and from the rounded front edge 25 of top 2O and to cooperate therewith to form K a clamp.

A transverse shaft 31 is journaled in the sides of housing 11 above drawer 15'and is provided at one end with a radial handle 32 projecting upwardly through a slot 33 in top 20. Spaced cranks 34 are provided in the shaft and each is connected by a pitman 35 to a lug 36 on bar 28. Springs 37 connect the Lbar 28 to strip 19 and serve to resist forward movement of the bar.

The parts are so located and proportioned that when handle 32 is pushed backwardly the cranks 34 will thrust through pitmen 35 against lugs 36 and bar 28 and cause the yclamping strip 30 to move away from the front edge of top 20. At the same time the cranks will move slightly past a dead center with handle 32 bearing against one end of slot 33. Consequently the tensioned springs 37 will hold the parts in the positions to which they have been moved. Thereafter, the handle 32 can be pushed forward slightly. This will be sufficient to move the cranks 34 downwardly past their dead centers and the springs will instantly snap the strip 30k to i clamping position.

Parallel guide rods 38 are supported above the si de portions of top 2O and are connected thereto by end posts 39. A cover plate 40 extends over the curved front edge of top 20 and backwardly between the front portions of the rails where it has an inclined lip 41. The rails 38 are slidably engaged by the sides 42 of the ink block 43 which bears lnovably on the top 20. The sides are connected by a bottom strip 44 the top of which is inclined downwardly and forwardly and carries a guide plate 45. This guide plate is also inclined and vits back edge 46 is folded under so as to engage in the back of strip 44, as shown. The forward edge of the guide plate is adapted to enter between top 2O and lip 41 when the ink block is slid forwardly to the front limit of its movement.

The back portions of the sides 42 are connected by a cross strip 47 to the bottom of which are secured the back ends of guide strips 48. These strips are inclined forwardly toward plate and are adapted to overlie the side edges of a card (not shown) resting on the plate 45.

The top 49 of the ink block is secured on the sides 42 and strip 47 and is provided with a cover or platen 50 formed preferably of a smooth plate of glass. Guide cleats 51 are carried by the sides 42 beneath the front portion of top 50 and are slidably engaged by the ends of a cross bar 52 from the center of which depends a jaw 53.

A transverse shaft 54 is journaled in the sides 42 and has cranks 55 connected by pitmen 56l to lugs 57 on bar 52. The pitmen can be adjusted in length in any Well known manner. Springs 58connected to the pitmen serve to hold the cranks k either in lowered positions as shown in Figure 3 (at which time jaw 53 is forced against top 20 or a card thereon) or in raised positions past their dead centers and against top 40. When they are in this latter position the bar 52 and aw 53 are held elevated. The shaft can be actuated by a handle 59 on one end thereof.

A clamping screw 60 is carried by one side of the ink block and is adapted to bind on one of the rails 38 to hold the block against movement.

In using this apparatus the housing 11 is slid out of casing 1 and placed on a table or the like although under some conditions it can be left in the open casing. A small quantity of ink is placed on the platen 50 and then rolled so as to be spread in a thin film. A card containing suitable spaces for recciv ing fingerprints is then removed from thel drawer 15 and the ink block 43 is slid forwardly until stopped by the front posts 39. It is then secured by screw 60. Thereafter handle 32 is tripped forwardly to cause strip 30 to move away from the top 20. Handle 55) is swung upwardly and lifts jaw 53. The card is inserted between strip 30 and top 2U and also between plate 45 and jaw 53. After it has been iiattened out and properly positioned the two handles are shifted to cause strip 30 and jaw 53 to snap into clamping positions. The fingers of the person to be finger-printed areplaced on the platen and then pressed on that portion of the card resting on the top 20. Strip 30 is then moved to releasing position, ink block 43 is unfastened and slid backwardly and the card will bc drawn by jaw 53 back along top 20. This will bring another portion of the card onto the top 20. The strip 30 can then be released to clamp the strip, jaw 53 can be raised, and ink block 43 can be moved forwardly on ce more to slide plate 43 beneath the card and under lip 41. The jaw 53 is then released to clamp on the card and the operation already described can be repeated. After two or more reoiprocations of the ink block and successive impressions on the card, said card will be fed rearwardly through the ink block and can then be removed and classified.

As has been stated, the device thus far described is of a portable nature. In large institutions the case l need not be used and the structure correspon-ding with housing ll can be made larger for use on a desk or table. This larger size has been illustrated in Figure 7 and is of the same construction as that heretofore described with the exception of the location of the operating handles. As there is no outer casing the Iend of shaft 6l, which corresponds with shaft 3l, has a der pending handle 62 at the side ofthe housing instead of the topthereof. Y

One of the advantages of the apparatus covered by this application is the ease with which stiff fingers can be printed. While one yfinger is being rolled on the inked platen the other ngers can be extended straight over bar 52 and beneath the top of the ink block. Thus a problem which has been difficult to overcome heretofore is met readily.

I/Vhat' is claimed is:

l. Fingerprint apparatus including a structure forlsupporting' a card in position to receive prints, an ink block mounted for backand forth sliding movement thereon, and

separately actuated clamping means for connecting thezcard to the ink `bloc-k and to the supporting structure respectively.

2. Fingerprint apparatus including y a structure for supporting a card in position to receive prints, an ink block mounted for back and forth sliding movement thereon, means carried by the ink block for clamping on the supporting card and moving it with Vthe block, and means on the supporting structure for gripping the card to hold it against movement.

3. Fingerprint apparatus including a structure for supporting a card in position to receive prints, an ink block mounted for back and forth sliding movement thereon,

, a platen thereon, and a cross member slidable on the ink block and having a card gripping aw, there being a finger receiving space between the platen and cross member.

Y 4. Fingerprint apparatus including a structure for supporting a card in position to receive prints, an ink block mounted for back and forth sliding movement thereon, a card gripping element carried by the ink block, yielding means for holding said element in either gripping or releasing position, andan operating device connectedto said element.

5. Fingerprint apparatus including a structure for supporting a card in position to receive prints, an ink block mounted for back andforth sliding movementthereon, a cross bar slidably comiected to the ink block,

having a crank, a driving connection between the crank and the cross bar, said crank being movable pasta dead center ink one direction 'to-bring the gripping portion into card-gripping position and in theiopposite direction to 'bring said portion to non-gripping position, means for shifting-the shaft to move the'crankpast its'deady center, and yielding means for actuatingthe crank in either direction when moved pastfitsdead center. .a

6. Fingerprint apparatus including a structure for supporting a card in position to receive prints, an ink block mounted for back and forth sliding movement thereon, means carried by the ink block for gripping a card, and drawing it with said block when moved along the supporting structure, a clamping strip cooperating with the supporting structure to grip a card, a shaft having a crank, a driving connection between the crank and strip, means for rotating the shaft to move the crankin either direction past a dead center, and a spring for shifting ythe crank in either direction when moved past said dead center.

7. Fingerprint apparatus including a structure for supporting a card in position to receive prints, an ink block mounted for back and forth sliding movement thereon, guide rails for the ink block, means on the block for engaging a rail to hold the block against sliding movement, and separately actuatedV means on the block and structure respectivelyk for gripping a card on the structure.

8. In a fingerprint apparatus a supporting structure, means at one end thereof for gripping a card resting on the structure, an ink block mounted for back and forth sliding movement on said structure, said block being open at the front and back for thereception and passage of the card, means in the block for guiding the card, and means carried by the block for gripping the card and drawing it with the block when moved in one direction. and while released by the first named gripping means.

9. In a fingerprint apparatus a card housing, a clamping strip shiftable relative to one end of the housing to receive and guide a card and to grip upon the card, yielding means for holding said strip in either guiding or in gripping position, an ink block slid` able on the housing, and means carriedthereby for clamping on the card and for dragging the card over the housing when released from said gripping means.

l0. The combination with a housing hav-z ing separate card and ink-holding means, of an ink block slidable on the housing, card gripping means carried thereby for engaging a card and for drawing the ycard over the housing with the block, means on the housingfor gripping the card, and separate means for actuating the respective card grip-l ping means.

11. The combination with a casing, of a housing slidable therein for supportingl a. card in position to receive fingerprints, an inkblock mounted for back and forth sliding movement on the housing, and separate- 1y actuated card-gripping means carried by the housing and the ink block respectively.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own, We have hereto aixed our signatures.

HERBERT G. SMITH. THEODORE BURR-IGK. 

